Solving the Rubik's cube

Another site showing how to solve the cube? Yes. This site describes two beginner methods (the one I used when I was learning to solve the cube, and a slightly different one I'd recommend now), a couple of extra algorithms I'm currently using, and some more advanced methods I'm currently trying to learn.

The beginner method is fairly similar to the one described here. My old beginner method is practically identical to Jasmine's. For the more advanced methods I've collected more algorithms from various sources, and flipped the algorithms so that the white face is on the bottom.

If you don't know anything about solving a cube, and the previous confused you, don't worry, and keep reading.

A really brief glossary and instructions on reading the algorithm notation

Algorithm

A sequence of moves designed to achieve a particular goal.

The algorithms are written as a sequence of letters. The different letters denote different faces of the cube. Not different colours, but faces as they relate to the way you're currently holding the cube. The faces are called Up, Left, Front, Right, Back and Down. A picture and an example make it easier to grasp:

Here the red face is F, yellow is U and green is R. In an algorithm, the letter by itself means you need to turn the face 90 degrees clockwise. A letter followed by an apostrophe means you need to turn it counter-clockwise. I also colour the CCW moves differently just because they're easier to read that way. CW and CCW mean CW and CCW when you're looking directly at the face. A "2" after the letter means you simply turn the face 180 degrees instead of 90.

As an example: From the solved state shown above, if you do algorithm U R', you'll end up with these:

Cubie

One of the 20 (there isn't one in the middle, and the 6 center pieces are fixed to the core) small cubes that make up the Rubik's cube. There are two types of cubies: edge and corner. When working on the cube, the cubies are moved around the core and the center pieces.

In most of the images not all the cubies are colored, just the ones related to that particular step; the rest are left gray.

Orientation

When a cubie is in the correct place in relation to the other cubies, it may still be incorrectly oriented. In this picture, the cube is otherwise solved, but three corner cubies are incorrectly oriented:

Permutation

Permutations of sets of cubies are combinations where certain cubies are in the wrong places, but can be moved to the right places by "cycling" said cubies. In this picture, the cube is otherwise solved, but the corner cubies are in an incorrect permutation:

The beginner method and forward

Comparison of the beginner, intermediate and advanced methods described here: